Ceredigion County Council’s Health and Safety Team is keen to build a good working relationship with local businesses and provide them with all the assistance they can to enable them to comply with health and safety legislation. This includes giving relevant advice and guidance with the aim of helping businesses to comply with health and safety related issues.
The Health and Safety Team is also very fortunate that, on occasions, it is able to call on the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) for assistance. The HSE has a variety of roles covering a range of health and safety activities but with the overall aim of preventing injury or ill-health in the workplace. For more information on the role of the HSE please visit www.hse.gov.uk
Over the last 18 months, Ceredigion’s Health and Safety Team has developed a very close working relationship with the HSE’s specialist deaprtment, the Health and Safety Laboratory (HSL). The HSL has provided Ceredigion County Council with valuable assistance on employee welfare issues and accident investigations.
The HSL is currently carrying out a very important national research project which involves testing recently installed floor surfaces in different types of business premises to establish whether they present a potential slip hazard in wet or dry conditions. The data collected will be of use to local businesses in Ceredigion by providing them with appropriate guidance in the selection of suitable flooring for your needs, thus reducing the risk of slips, trips and falls to both employees and members of the public.
Last year, the Health and Safety Team investigated a total of 84 reportable accidents in the county. Although not all slip related, slips, trips and falls were still a major cause of reportable accidents which can have severe financial implications for businesses and also have an immense impact on the lives of employees and others affected by an accident.
All the data generated from these surveys will be put into a data base but there will be no reference to the premises from which it was obtained. Client confidentiality is therefore assured but on request, the HSL will be more than happy to provide a copy of its confidential report direct to the relevant business free of charge.
For further information, please contact Mike Drew, Health and Safety Officer [email protected]
